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Parliamentary select committee
visits oil palm industries in Ashanti
Juaben (Ash), July 13, Ghanadot/GNA- Mr Akenten
Appiah-Menkah, Managing Director of Appiah-Menkah Apino Soap
in Kumasi, has called for the establishment of a Palm Oil
Development Board to handle issues on the industry.
He said the oil palm industry plays a unique role in the
socio-economic development of the country and that
everything possible must be done by the government to ensure
its sustenance at all levels to reduce poverty in the
country.
Mr Appiah-Menkah was addressing a 20 member Parliamentary
Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, when
visited the factory in Kumasi on Saturday as part of their
study tour of some Palm oil industries in the Ashanti
Region, to acquaint themselves with some of the challenges
facing the industry and how best to address them.
He said he was very happy with their visit to his factory
and hoped that it would help them to know more of the
problems facing the industry and how best to address them.
The Committee led by Mr Joseph Boakye Danquah Adu, Member of
Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa North Constituency in the
Eastern Region also visited the Juaben Oil Mill at Juaben.
They were taken round the oil mill by Nana Otuo Sereboe II,
Managing Director of the Mill and Paramount Chief of Juaben
Traditional Area.
They inspected the GH¢450 million, newly installed oil palm
refinery and fractionation plant and a shea butter plant of
the mill.
The Managing Director told them that the mill produces 30
refined drums of shea butter daily, which is exported to
Holland and another 50 tons of crude palm oil daily for
local consumption.
He however indicated that the company was unable to export
due to heavy export costs.
He said the mill has 450 workers and that the waiver of the
import duty by the government would help to promote the
industry especially in the lean season.
Mr Adu on behalf of the Committee expressed their
satisfaction with the role the two companies were playing to
revamp the nation’s economy.
He said the government was also committed to ensuring the
proper development of the private sector and that was the
reason why the waiver of the import duties, to support
domestic business development.
GNA
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